Spur-of-Moment Decision Bought Him $30.6 Million

Jerrell Wardlaw, who sometimes picked up extra cash working part-time at his neighborhood 7-Eleven, walked into the store this week and made a purchase worth $30.6 million.

Thursday night, the Lotto ticket held by the Livermore man was verified as the only one with all six of the numbers drawn Wednesday night. The jackpot, which he’ll collect in 20 yearly after-tax payments of $1.2 million, is the biggest won by an individual in the California lottery game.

Wardlaw, married with four children, said his spending plans include buying a motor home for a cross-country trip, making sure his children get good educations and building a new home in Livermore.

After buying a pack of cigarettes Monday at the 4th Street 7-Eleven, Wardlaw had only a dollar left in his pocket, according to store owner Jud McDonnell.

“Eh, give me a (Lotto) quick pick,” Wardlaw said.

Thursday morning, Wardlaw went to his job at an engine company in Santa Clara--he was late because his truck broke down--without knowing he held the winning ticket. A co-worker had heard that the winning ticket was sold in Livermore and jokingly asked if it was Wardlaw’s.

“He said, ‘Yeah, sure.’ And then Jerry looked at his ticket and sure enough it was him,” McDonnell related.

The jackpot winner returned at once to Livermore and the 7-Eleven. McDonnell rented a 30-foot limousine that took the Wardlaws to Sacramento.